is this normal, i've lived in Scotland all my life and up until a few years ago i would defend its name with fire, but now I have no pride in the place whatsoever

I feel more and more drawn to the US every day and if someone gave me a ticket to go but on the understanding i could never come back i think i would bite their hand off

anybody else feel like this?

i'd rather live in scotland than the US.

but then i'd rather not live in scotland either….

I'd rather live in Scotland myself. America's overrated, full of yanks for a start.

What has caused this change to happen?

1/10 must try harder

Never really felt that much pride in my country, but I do think it's generally a pretty good place to live. Don't really get bring proud of where you happen to be born.

Pride in a country?

It's a weird concept. I was proud of my daughter when she finally rode with stabilizers, and I was proud of my son when he did very well in his SATS recently, but Pride about where you live…nah.

What about pride in yourself?

I'd rather shoot myself than live in the US

Depends on what part of the US. Eastern Seaboard, possibly yes.

I'd rather shoot myself than live in the US

Really? I bet you wouldn't. I could think of a couple of places that are really spectacular, and would love to go. Americans are generally lovely folk as well.

The USA – 5% of the worlds population, 25% of the worlds pollution.

Child mortality rates that are virtually third world with 15% of the population with almost no healthcare.

More gun murders each day than in Europe in a year

Yep – I'm much the same, although I've never really liked living in England.

I know its a cliché but this country really has gone to the wall. Whilst I'm not expecting the US or anywhere else to be any different, at least I'll know whether I should just be happy with my lot if I give somewhere else a try.

From when I've visited, I've always found the US to be ace.

Tell someone who cares 🙂

I personally really like living in Scotland, and I'm an Englishman. The US only really appeals due to its natural wonders, nothing to do with its people or politics.

I know its a cliché but this country really has gone to the wall.

Yeah life is really tough here isn't it, sitting around posting on the internet about our latest ludicrously expensive bike purchases. 🙄

I love scotland but only because i live for the outdoors. Kitesurfing and mountain biking are my main sports and if i lived anywhere else i would'nt get as much access and free space to enjoy them.

And haggis…yum yumm

WTF is the relevence of that grumm?

I'm just fed up of people talking bollocks about how 'this country has gone to the wall'. Life for most people in this country is probably better than at any point in history, anywhere in the world, yet people won't shut up moaning about it.

UK still has a lot going for it, but I'd happily move to the US if I could, just to see what it's like living out there.

Looked into it last year, and as you'd expect, theres loads of immigration hoops to jump through. And I currently don't fulfil any of the criteria.

I'm just fed up of people talking bollocks about how 'this country has gone to the wall'. Life for most people in this country is probably better than at any point in history, anywhere in the world, yet people won't shut up moaning about it.

HERE! HERE!

Well said that man.

I'm very proud to be English. I love my country. I think it's the most beautiful place in the world.
And I'm sick if the moaners too. If you don't like it, do something about it or sod off somewhere else and shut up.

Without wishing to put too much of a Daily Mail slant on it,

Surveillance/id cards/CCTV/nanny state quite frankly scares me
I think our government is the biggest joke going with no real alternative
My trade earns twice what I get paid over here
+ a number of personal circumstances

Whilst I acknowledge that this may be just as bad in the states, it'd be nice to witness it first hand just to I can make a choice between the two based on experience.

PP – so I can't have an opinion about it then yeah?

….make a choice between the two based on experience

Exactly 😉

I don't get this 'pride in my country' thing !
Have pride in yourself, what you do & your achievements by all means, but what do you actually mean by 'pride in my country' ????

Surveillance/id cards/CCTV/nanny state quite frankly scares me

Best not move to the US then

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Permanent_Resident_Card

…And I'm sick of the moaners too

Moaning about the moaners, surely the epitome of the 'English way'
😉

What does having pride in one's country entail? I'm neither massively Pro nor am I massively Anti the UK, it's just where I live. There are nice things about it, and there are things that need changing (just like most other places, I would guess).

And what does the phrase 'one's country' even mean ?

PP – so I can't have an opinion about it then yeah?

Yes you're allowed to have an opinion. I didn't say otherwise. But i'll say it again:
If you don't like it, do something about it or sod off somewhere else

I think Scotland is a super country (if a bit too damp and slightly too @rsy about their immediate neighbours).
But maybe a change is as good as a rest. Maybe if you go for a bit, you'll appreciate the good points of home? If you don't go, will you ever know?

If it wasn't for my domestic constraints, I'd love to live in a couple of different countries for a bit.

op,come to the land downunder 8)

I don't like the fact that when I commute to work, the majority of my journey is now covered by scameras in place for no other reason than to generate cash
I also don't like the fact that even though I petitioned against ID cards, they're still being introduced
I don't like the fact that my details are sold by my local council (who I pay money too) to marketing and advertising companies who then bombard me with junk mail and phone calls that I don't want, even though I'm ex-directory
+ wars, state of education, NHS…..blah blah blah

But the bit that concerns me the most is that if I'm not happy with it what other choice do I have whilst still living here?

Yes you're allowed to have an opinion. I didn't say otherwise. But i'll say it again:
If you don't like it, do something about it or sod off somewhere else

…otherwise stop complaining?

What a pompous prick you are. Given a choice and were my personal circumstances different I would 'sod off'. However, there are a number of hoops I have to jump through before leaving the UK.

The OP asked for opinions. I gave him mine. Do one

You are bothered by wars, health provision and excessive marketing, and yet you are talking about moving to America? Hmm.

My commute to work has no cameras. ID cards probably won't be compulsory, councils selling electoral details has been going on for decades, recycle junk mail. Are you registered with the TPS? it should cut down on UK based sales calls (won't help against offshore ones). Politics is politics wherever you live, can't help with that one…Blah blah blah

🙂

If you have a skill thats in demand and your young give it a go. If you dont like it in the US you can always come back and say at least I tried something different not that the US is particulary alien to british people.

If you really want a change try looking at somewhere thats a bit less familiar a mate of mine made the jump 3 years ago and moved to Argentina and he is loving it. Though he has to work about twice as hard as he ever did in Britain and there is no safety net if he fails.

You are bothered by wars, health provision and excessive marketing, and yet you are talking about moving to America? Hmm

Probably no different no, but it'd be nice to see a different side of the coin. My point was, I'm sick of the UK and would like to experience somewhere else. So I sympathise with the OP

My commute to work has no cameras. ID cards probably won't be compulsory

My commute does – different strokes and all that. As for ID cards, I wouldn't bet on it.

councils selling electoral details has been going on for decades

Doesn't make it right though does it..

until a few years ago i would defend its name with fire

how did that work then? are you an arsonist? a firebreather? got a quiver of flaming arrows? molotov cocktails? 😯

until a few years ago i would defend its name with fire

how did that work then? are you an arsonist? a firebreather? got a quiver of flaming arrows? molotov cocktails?

No, by firebombing homes that the English live in. 😉

I know its a cliché but this country really has gone to the wall. Whilst I'm not expecting the US or anywhere else to be any different,

The UK is just a wanna be mini me of the US.

I'm just fed up of people talking bollocks about how 'this country has gone to the wall'. Life for most people in this country is probably better than at any point in history, anywhere in the world, yet people won't shut up moaning about it.

You're probably right, just a bit of generalising here, while we are more affluent as a whole, the quality of life is getting worse.

What a pompous prick you are

Haha chill it bro, you can't take the stress at your age, the old ticker will give up!

I'm with you on this one though; I have no doubt that we enjoy some of the greatest wealth and social security living in the UK, but there is simply no 'joy' in living here.

I often wonder what immigrants think of the UK once they've been here a while, i.e. do the financial benefits really outweigh the loss of any community spirit that can be found back at home?

My reasons for fancying a move to America have nothing to do with losing pride in Britain or thinking it's gone to the dogs (I still think Britain is one of the best places in the world to live).

But being a regular visitor to the States, I think I would have a better standard of living out there (nicer house with land, etc) as well as easier access to things I enjoy doing (riding, swimming, shooting (clays, not animals!), fishing, outdoors in general).

But being a regular visitor to the States, I think I would have a better standard of living out there (nicer house with land, etc) as well as easier access to things I enjoy doing (riding, swimming, shooting (clays, not animals!), fishing, outdoors in general).

That's kind of understandable, although travelling much further to ride, and not having a big network of trails to ride would put me off. Nice to visit, where you don't get bored of riding the same trails over and over again but not so nice to live there. Also jobs tend to have way less holiday (for the 75% of people who get paid holiday in the US, it is typically 10 + 8 bank holiday type things, compared to 28 days over here as a statutory minimum), which is a hassle if you aren't self employed.

You can get a lot of the outdoors stuff, bigger houses with land, shootin, fishing etc. just by moving Up North or to Scotland.

Joe